Kate Middleton heartbreak: How parents ‘kept their distance’ after royal row

KATE MIDDLETON’s parents Carole and Michael have been noticeably absent from several royal events and a friend once suggested they were deliberately keeping their distance after a royal row.

The Middletons did not show up to Ascot or the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2016, and even missed the thanksgiving service on the Queen’s 90th birthday. According to royal expert Katie Nicholl, their absence was likely due to a so-called “Battle Royal” with Prince Charles. Prince Charles was said to be growing resentful at the amount of time the Middletons were spending with William, Kate and the children, complaining that he “almost never sees Prince George”, according to a 2016 Daily Mail article.

It was speculated that perhaps, due to this, they had not been invited to the events they were missing from.

However, another explanation could be that they decided to stay away to avoid causing further friction with the prince.

A friend of the Middletons said Carole, who joined the Cambridges on their skiing holiday that year, was horrified to learn how Charles felt.

“All she has ever wanted is to be a good mother and grandmother, not upset anyone in the process.

“Perhaps their low profile is their way of keeping a respectful distance.”

While the Middletons were seemingly keeping away from royal events, they were still seeing plenty of William and Kate.

In fact courtiers went as far as to call Carole “possessive” over the family.

William, Kate, George, Charlotte and Louis (Image: GETTY)

A friend of Charles added: “Charles feels very much that the Middletons get more than their fair share of time with George and Charlotte.

“In comparison, he sees them very little and he bears a bit of a grudge about that.”

Carole and Michael even organised the whole of Prince George’s third birthday party, which apparently “upset” Charles still further, although he still attended.

A royal insider told Ms Nicholl: “Charles didn’t want to miss his grandson’s birthday but the fact that the whole thing was essentially a Middleton event with Carole orchestrating the whole thing is exactly what upset him.”

Carole with the Queen and Camilla (Image: GETTY)

Carole and Michael spent the morning organising children’s food and games, while Charles had been at a meeting in Clarence House with manufacturer and designer Emma Bridgewater discussing a campaign to protect rural England.

In some ways, this sums up the whole problem: both the Cambridges and Charles are so busy that it is difficult for them to find a time when they are all free to spend quality time together, whereas the Middletons have plenty of free time and can work around Kate and William’s schedule.

They even reportedly help out with childcare when William and Kate are on engagements abroad.

A friend of Charles claimed that while William and Kate have enjoyed holidays with the Middletons, it has been “years” since William went away with his father.

They said: “Charles would love to do something like a family skiing holiday, but William’s not interested.

“He wants to do his own thing these days and often his father doesn’t know where he is or what he’s doing.

“When William and the family nipped off to Courchevel for a few days’ skiing at the end of the year, Charles had no idea they were away. He was hurt.”

Charles has attempted to entice the family to Highgrove, by refurbishing an old treehouse and installing a £20,000 shepherd’s house in the meadow.

Both apparently remain sadly empty.

According to the Daily Mail, a spokesman for the Palace declined to comment on the souring relations between the in-laws.